Artwork
Vilaval Raga
Vilaval Raga is a paint painting by the Baroque artist Unknown. It dates from 1700 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. This early 18th‑century ragamala painting, executed in opaque watercolour on paper, illustrates the vilāva rāga.
About this work
Overview
This early 18th‑century ragamala painting, executed in opaque watercolour on paper, illustrates the vilāva rāga. The composition features a young woman presenting betel to a princely musician, both seated on an elevated platform against a vivid orange backdrop.
Subject & Meaning
The central figures embody the musical mode’s emotive qualities: the female dancer, clad in a red skirt and green blouse, offers a fan and betel, while the male musician, dressed in yellow with a black‑and‑white turban, plays a stringed instrument. Their interaction reflects the courtly rituals associated with the vilāva raga.
Technique & Style
Rendered in flat, bold pigments without modelling, the work employs opaque watercolour to achieve saturated tones. The decorative script at the top, likely of South Asian origin, frames the scene, while the stylised tree and deep‑blue sky provide a minimal background.
History & Provenance
Created around 1700 by an unidentified artist, the painting entered the collection of Michael Rothenstein before being purchased by the present museum in 1953 for £300.
Artist & collection
Domestic Scene
Giacomo and Cardinal Marco, investing Andrea, Abbot of San Zeno, with his Benefice
The Nymph of Fontainebleau
Portrait of a Woman
Madonna and Child with Saints in the Enclosed Garden
Venus and Minerva
Family Group of Four on Sofa
Wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale
